Mail bag and support therefor



April 22, 1930. D. L. DoBsoN ET AL 1,755,950

MAIL BAG AND SUPPORT THEREFOR Filed Nov, 2, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet l WITNESS:

April-'22, 1930. D. L.. DoBsoN r-:r AL 1,755,950

MAIL BAG AND SUPPORT THEREFOR Filed Nov. 2, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 fz A] j q *QW il( 46 ,27 i 44? .Z7 J5 INVENTORJ ATTOR N EY WITNESS:

Patented Apr. 22, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE DAVIS L. DoBsoN, oF WILMINGTON, AND PERRY J. DoBsoN, 0F KENANSVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA MAIL BAG AND SUPPORT THEREFOR The present invention relates to mail bags and has for one of its objects to adapt a mail bag lto -t'he convenience of rural delivery.

Further lobjects of the invention are -to provide a mail bag in which the mail may be retained in sorted lots Yand which may he collapsed or partially collapsed to accommodate the bag to various quantities of mail.

Further objects are to provide a mail bag having a plurality of compartments therein which are readily and individually accessible to the person in lcharge thereof and to provide means for holding the bag partially or wholly distended, or partially or wholly collapsed. n

Further objects `are simplicity of construction, V'eHectiveness in use, cheapness of manufacture 'and "simplicity of operation.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description and will be set forth in the subjoined claims, and we do not wish 'to be limited in the scope of our invention :except "as we 'shall be limited by said claims.

In the drawings:

Figure `1 illustrates a b'ag in accordance with ,the principles of the invention and illustrati'ng 'one of the uses thereof in connection with a delivery automobile.

Figure 2 is a 'section on the line 2-2 of y Figure 3, looking in the `direction of the arrows and showing lthe various compartments 'withi'n the bafg aiad'the l'supporting structure for the Y Figure 3 is a section ron the line 3 3 of Figure 2, viewing the underside of the cover for the mail bag.

Figure 4 is a section on the Iline 4 -4 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows and showing .particularly the supporting construction for the -Inail bag.

i i'gure i5. is a detailed fragmentary View on a slightly enlarged scale and showing inse'rtihlebores for containing mail 'orthe like.

Figure 6 is a detailed perspective view of the bottom support for the bag.

Figure '7 'is `a view similar to Figure 4, showing a part 'of 'the upper portion lof the 'bag partially collapsed.

F ignre 8 is a similar view showing a porthroughout the height tion of the lower collapsed.

Figure 9 is a detail of the central brace member detached from the bag.

Figure 10 is a detail view illustrating the L means for securing the brace rods and other parts of vmy invention with respect to the vertical rod thereof.k n

Referring to the drawings in detail, 10 designates a mail bag made in accordance with my invention and having flexible side walls 11 and 12 and a rear wall 13 secured together at their vertically lateral edges, the bag being provided with a bottom at 14 and a top 15 and a cover 16 'above the top, which is preferably 'of metal or other relatively nonflexible material. Arranged at the bottom of the bag is a base member 17 comprising a transverse metallic strip 18 and side stripsp19 and 2O secured thereto, the side strips being provided with end ears 21 and 22 havingl aligned apertures 23 and 24 therein, and intermediate of the le'ars 21 and 22 are spaced loop members 2'51'h'avi-ng the loops thereof in alignment with vthe apertures 23 and 24 for a purpose which w'dl presently appear. The transverse imetallic strip 18 is provided centrally thereof with a socketed member 26, in the socket of which is 'supported a vertical rod 2T which maybe se- ,4 cured therein by a set vscrew 28, -the vertical rod being provided with a longitudinal guide groove 29 to receive and guide the ends of set screws 30 and 3l respectively extending through apertures in collars 32 and 33 slidably mounted upon lsaid rod, the coll-ar 32 being secured to the cover 16 'and the collar 33 having brace rods 34 threadedly connected therewith. and extending laterally therefrom and detachably supp'ort'ingat theirends 90 side members 36 and 37 vhaving apertured ears 38 struck therefrom and extending inwardly toward the sidewalls of the mail bag. The cover 16 is also .provided along the front and rear edges with downwardly extending apertured ears 39 spaced at regular intervals therealong and connecting with the front and rear of the bag.

The front of the bag is preferably open thereof and the bag is part of the bag partially divided vertically by partitions 40 extending vertically in parallelism with the side walls at regularly spaced intervals and is divided transversely by walls 41 extending in horizontal planes and at right angles to the side walls and the vertical partitions, the walls 41 being the width of the space between the side walls and the walls 40 and being secured thereto in any suitable manner, as by being sewed thereto by a line of stitches. The bag in this manner is divided into a plurality of pockets or compartments 42 which are in the nature of the well known pigeon holes and into which packets of mail may be inserted either alphabetically lor according to any other arrangement. One or more of the side walls may be provided with pockets 43 as shown in Figure 1, for the reception of newspapers, stamps or the like, and drawers with identification means therefor, may be provided, as shown in the detailed view in Fig ure at 44, which may be inserted in the pigeon holes or compartments as desired.

'lhe brace rods are connected with the side members 36 and 37 by means of a kerfed extension from said members, as shown at 35, into the kerf of which the ends of the rods 34 extend. The kerfed members 35 are also provided with notches 35a and the rods 34 are provided with lugs 34it adapted to rest therein. The members 36 and 37, as stated above, lie on the outside of the bag and the members 35 extend through eyelets 45 in the sides of the bag and may be detached from the rods 34 when it is desired to adjust the Acollar 33 upwardly or downwardly along the rod 27. The sides of the bag are provided with loops 46 extending horizontally across the outer surface thereof, said loops being equal in number to the spaces between the ears 38, said loop members 46 being spaced apart a distance suiicient to accommodate the ears 38 therebetween, and to be brought into alignment therewith to receive a rod 47 therethrough connecting the members 36 and 37 to the sides of the bag. The cover member 16 is similarly attached to the top of the bag by means of rods 48 passing through loops 49 of the bag and ears 39 on the top member. In a similar manner the bottom support 17 is secured to the bottom of the bag by means of rods 5() passing through ears 21 and 22 and through the loops 25 and loops 51 on the sides of the bag.

A suitable handle 52 may be provided at the top of the bag for carrying the same from placefto place and a handle may be provided on the collar 32 for moving the same vertically on the rod 27.

A double vertical wall 40a is provided at the center of the bag, one member of which rests on each side of the rod 27, thereby protecting the same and protecting the mail carried in the adjacent compartments from Contact therewith, and accommodating the rods 34^in their vertical sliding movement relative to the rod 27.

In operation, when it is desired to distend the bag completely the collar 32 is moved upwardly and the brace members 34 are moved to the central point of the vertical rod 27 The members 35 are extended through the eyelets at the center of the bag and connected with the rods 34. The rods 47 are inserted through the aligned apertures of the loops 46 and the ears 38, and the set screw 31 is tightened in the groove 29 of the vertical rod. The set screw 30 is also tightened and the bag is then readyfor use. In case it is not desired to use all of the space in the bag, either a lower portion or an upper portion thereof may be collapsed or partly collapsed, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, and the side members 36 and 37 may be located accordingly with the collar 33 adjusted to proper position and the members 35 extended through the appropriate eyelets.

By this device it is seen that the bag is adaptable to various conditions and to use in carrying various amounts of mail. The mail may be arranged therein, sorted for the convenience of the mail carrier, and the bag on the other hand may when not in use be fully or partially collapsed. The rigid top of the bag may be used somewhat as a desk upon which pieces of mail may be laid for writing thereon, or an account book may be placed for entering sales or other transactions therein. It is to be understood that this bag may be adapted to various uses within the scope of the invention aside from that of carrying mail and may be modified within the scope of the invention to adapt itself to other uses in carrying the mail.

Having described our invention, what we claim is:

1. A support for a mail bag comprising a base memberhaving ears thereon and a central socket, loops adjacent the bottom of said bag, rods adapted to extend through said ears and said loops to connect the base member to said bottom, a rod secured in said central socket and extending vertically upward, a cover for said bag slidably adjustable on said rod, means for holding said cover in adjusted position, and means for attaching said cover to said bag.

2. A support for a bag comprising a base member detachably connected to said bag, a socket member centrally of said base member, a rod secured in said socket and extending vertically centrally of the bag, collars slidably adjustable on said rod, means for locking said collars in adjusted position, eyelets in the sides of said bag spaced at intervals vertically thereof, side members detachably connected with said bag and rods extending from one of said collars, adapted to be connected with said side members, and a top member connected of said collars.

3. In combination With a mail bag, a base member detachably secured thereto, a central supporting socket on said base member, a rod connected in said socket and extending vertically and centrally of said bag, supporting means adjustable along said rod for holding said bag Wholly or partially distended and means on said bag for receiving parts of the supporting means.

In testimony whereof We affix our signatures.

DAVIS L. DOBSON. PERRY J. DOBSON.y

with said bag and with one 

